To lie VS To lay

Hello guys,

Learners speakers tend to have problems and confusion when they conjugate the verbs to lie and to lay. Sometimes they look the same but their meanings are completely different. One can realize of this from the context where the verb is placed. Lay is a transitive verb which means that a direct object will come after it. In contrast, Lie is an intransitive verb, so no direct object would follow the verb concerned.

- Infinitives: To lay / To lie

- Meanings: Lay → to put something down. Lie → to rest or recline

- Simple present: lay(s) / lie(s) laid / lay

- Simple past: laid / lay

- Past participle laid / lain

-Present participle: laying / lying

A clearer explanation: 

Some examples...

To lie... 

Present tense: I lie down on my bed to rest my weary bones
Past tense: Yesterday, I lay there thinking about what I had to do during the day.
Past participle: But I remembered that I had lain there all morning one day last week.

To lay...

Present tense: As I walk past, I lay the tools on the workbench
Past tense: As I walked past, I laid the tools on the workbench
Past participle: I had laid the tools on the workbench

What do you think the cat is doing? :D

I hope everything is clear, for more doubts or question, here we are!

See you soon!